Easel for photographic enlargers



24, 1963 R. w. WHITLATCH 3,418,049

EASEL FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGERS Filed Dec. 20. 1965 Fig. 3 ,0

Robert W Whit/arch INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,418,049 EASEL FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGERS Robert W. Whitlatch, Box 85, Mattoon, Ill. 61938 Filed Dec. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 515,101 3 Claims. (Cl. 355-54) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An easel for holding sensitized photographic paper to be used in combination with photographic enlargers where both surfaces of the easel have cutouts forming masks and the cutouts on the surfaces can produce all the standard size exposures without employing multiple masks with a separate easel.

The present invention generally relates to an easel for use in combination with photographic enlargers for holding the sensitized paper on which exposures are made and specifically relates to such an easel that will retain the paper movably in relation to the enlarger so that the printer may have selective alternate orientations of the paper in relation to the enlarger. Heretofore, easels have been provided for orientating the sensitized paper in the desired position but employed movable structures which required the repositioning of the easel in relation to the enlarger. In specific distinction to this, the present invention employs a stationary easel with the paper being movable in relation thereto. In the present invention, reversing of the paper does not require moving the easel although the printer can move the easel if desired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photographic easel for enlargers incorporating a cover therein which serves as a mask having an opening therein for receiving the image. An additional opening may be provided along an opposite edge of the cover as an alternate arrangement so that the easel can be moved whereby the heads of the image will be in the same direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an easel having a cover and a base in which the base is provided with a window therein to provide another alternate in printing. If desired, a detachable base can be employed so that the sensitized paper will not catch the edges of the window on the bottom or base of the easel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a photographic easel for enlargers which can be constructed of plastic, cardboard, metal or the like and which is relatively thin and easy to use and handle. Basically, it is an essential feature of this invention to provide an easel which may be adapted and adjusted and orientated in such a manner that various sizes of images may be received thereon and it is significant that the present invention is constructed to make multiple prints from the same negative on one sheet of paper.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the easel of the present invention illustrating the image receiving openings therein and the index opening in the top thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the easel; and

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, sectional view of the easel.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the easel of the present invention which is in the form of shallow hollow structure having a top wall or cover 12 and a bottom or base 14 interconnected by longitudinal edge walls 16 and 20. One end edge of the easel is open for movably receiving a sheet of sensitized paper 22. The other end of the easel is closed with an end wall at 24 that is spaced inwardly slightly from the end edge of the top panel 12 to provide an overhanging ledge or lip for facilitating handling of the easel.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, a pair of windows or openings 26 and 28 are provided adjacent the open end of the easel and a window or opening 30 is provided generally centrally of the remaining portion of the top panel 12. Also, a small opening or window 32 is provided in the strip 34 which separates the window 26 from the window 28. Also, the outer edge of the windows 26 and 28 are defined by an end flange 36. It is noted that the opening or window 32 is in alignment with the opening or window 30 and the window 30 includes relatively narrow axial extensions 38 and 40 at the opposite ends thereof and the bottom edge of the main portion of the window or opening 30 is provided with a downwardly offset portion 42, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

In the bottom panel 14, there is provided an enlarged window or opening 44 which is separated from the end edge by a narrow flange 46. Also, the end edge of the bottom 14 is provided with a notch 48 of generally semicircular configuration which facilitates the removal of the sensitized paper 22 from the easel.

Depending upon the materials from which the device is made, the various windows may be either in the form of openings or in the form of transparent inserts which retain the strength of the easel throughout. It is also pointed out that the easel is orientated in the usual manner of a photographic easel in relation to a conventional photographic enlarger and also, the easel and the openings may vary in size to receive different standard sizes of sensitized paper and to form different standard size exposures on the particular paper.

It is pointed out that the sensitized paper is slid into the hollow interior of the easel in a manner so that selective portions thereof are exposed through the openings. For example, in the embodiment illustrated, the openings 26 and 28 are 3 x 5". Thus, the sensitive paper 22 is moved inwardly until the inner edge thereof is aligned with the inner edge of the opening 26 and the first exposure made. The paper is then moved inwardly until the second 3 /2" x 5" area is in alignment with the opening 26 which will be designated by the juncture line between the open area 30 and the open area 40. The paper is then slid into the third position so that the next 3 /2" x 5" area will be exposed through the opening 26 which will have the inner edge of the paper aligned with the juncture line between the open area 38 and the open area 30. Then the paper is slid completely into the easel for the fourth exposure. Then the four other exposures may be formed on the upper portion of the sensitized paper in the same manner using the opening 28 or if it is desired to have the heads of the images inwardly, then the sensitive paper is removed and rotated and the rocedure completed. Thus, eight 3 /2" x 5" may be made from one sensitized paper of 11" X 14". In making 5" x 7" exposures, the easel is inverted and the two exposures are made along the top edge of the paper and then the paper is rotated or reversed 180 for the other two exposures.

If smaller exposures are to be made such as thirty-two 1%" x 2 /2" exposures on an 11" x 14" paper, then the paper would be moved inwardly to the outer edge of the opening 32, the inner edge of the opening 32, and the end edge of the opening 40, the juncture between the opening 40 and the offset area 42, the edge of the offset 42, the juncture between the opening 30 and the opening 38, the inner end of the opening 38 and completely inwardly. To provide for the arrangement of the exposures sequentially vertically in horizontal rows, the side edge 3 of the easel would be open so that the bottom 2 /2" of the sensitive sheet would be intially exposed beneath the flange 34 and then subsequently the central 2 /2 portion and then the sheet would have to be reversed 180 to receive the other sixteen exposures.

Sixteen 2 /2 x 3 /2" may be made in the same manner as the 3 /2 x 5" except that the paper would be inserted horizontally in the same manner as for the 3 /2 x 5" but with the horizontal insertion first exposing the bottom edge portion of the paper for a vertical dimension of 2 /2 and subsequently the intermediate 2 /2 in the same manner that the 1% x 2 /2 were exposed.

Thus, with the present invention various combinations may be provided by employing the edges of the openings 32, 40, 42, 30 and 38 as guide lines for the degree of insertion of the sensitized paper and with the edges of the flange 34 acting as a guide for the vertical portion of the sensitized paper to be orientated within the opening 26, the sensitized sheet may be exposed in such a manner that very little waste occurs.

Regardless of the size of the cover and the sensitized paper to be used, the guide openings may be orientated in such a manner that the 3 /2" x 5" may be provided, the 2 /2" x 3- /2 provided and the 1% x 2 /2 provided which represent multiples of the same increments of space.

When other dimensions are to be employed, the base 14 may be provided with a recess defined by the edge 46 and a notched edge 48 which are orientated below the edge 44 already described. In other words, the opening 44 as employed defines a 5"vx 7 opening. However, if a 7" x piece of sensitized paper is to be employed, then the opening defined by the edges 48 and 46 is employed with the juncture edge 50 between the lines 46 and 48 separating the 5" width of the opening into two equal sections. Disposed inwardly of the inner edge of the opening 44 is a pair of slot-like openings 52 and 54 having a juncture edge 56 therebetween inasmuch as the opening 54 is wider than the opening 52. The inner edge of the slot 52 is 2 /2 from the inner end of the opening defined by the edge 48 and the opening 52 is 2 /2" long as is the opening 54 thus enabling a plurality of 2 /2" increments to be, designated on the sensitized paper 22. This enables the 11" x 14" easel to be employed with paper other than 11' x 14". For example, sensitized paper in a size of 7" x 15" may be employed to make three 5" x 7 exposures with the first two being made by inserting the paper inwardly to the inner edge of the line 48 and then into the edge 56 after which the paper is reversed and the unexposed end then inserted into the inner edge of the edge 48. Of course, 2 /2" increments may be indicated by the use of the juncture line 50, the inner edge of the line 48, the end of the slot 52, the juncture line 56 and the end of the slot 54. Additionally, the size of the easel may also be varied and depending upon the desires of individual printers as well as the needs thereof, guide openings or the like may be provided thereon to enable optimum use of the area of the sensitized paper.

Rather than the openings or slot-like openings as ill-ustrated, other perforations or the like may be provided such as notches, holes or the like to enable observation of the inner edge of the sensitized paper as it is sequentially inserted into the easel. In addition to the use of particular sizes of sensitized paper, the sensitized paper may be provided in rolls thus requiring that the easel be open at both ends. Suitable markings may be provided on the paper for alignment with the indicating openings and the like on the easel. Further, while the device has been specifically disclosed as particularly useful with photographic enlargers, it is also pointed out that this easel may be employed in combination with contact printing apparatuses and other copying apparatuses.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An easel for photographic enlargers comprising a cover and a bottom joined along three sides with the fourth side providing an opening through which a sheet of sensitized paper may be inserted, said cover and said bottom having at least one opening therein having one edge coincident with a respective side edge of the cover and bottom for sequentially exposing a predetermined portion of the paper as it is inserted under the cover and bottom, and means on said cover and bottom for indicating the distance of insertion of the paper thereunder with such means being additional openings in said cover and bottom which are of longitudinal slot-like configuration and being orientated at predetermined distances to expose standard size areas of the paper and enable accurate alignment of the edge of the paper as it is inserted past the slots, with the openings and slot-like openings in said cover and bottom being of different size and longitudinal spacing, respectively, whereby the single easel struc ture can produce substantially all of the standard size exposures on a large sheet of sensitized paper.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together with a duplicate opening in the cover with the openings being of the same size, one edge of said cover being free to enable orientation of the paper laterally and longitudinally of the cover to enable sequential rows of exposures to be made of less dimension that the total dimension of the exposure opening in the cover.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 together with a second exposure receiving opening in said easel of the same size as the first-mentioned opening thereby enabling the easel and cover to be moved in relation to an enlarger for exposing a second row of images.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1960 Van Deusen 8824 5/1960 Saunders 88-24 US. Cl. X.R. 

